Oil well cementing tool



March 2, 1954 T. A. OWEN on. WELL CEMENTING Too;J

Filed July 1e, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l n Wa/7m. l 7170274. @W5/14 March 2, 1954 T. A. OWEN OIL WELL CEMENTING TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 16, 1949 Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OIL WELL CEMENTING TOOL Application July 16, 1949, Serial No. 105,207

Claims. (Cl. 166-12) This invention relates to an oil well cementing tool whereby the movement of cement to its in situ position may be controlled.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel oil well cementing tool in which the casing engaging slipsl are set by pressure on a packing cup, this pressure being exerted by circulating iiuid in the well or by the cement.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel oil well cementing tool in which means are provided to circulate fluid while pressure is being maintained on the cement while the cement is hardening.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel oil well cementing tool of the character stated, which is compact in construction, which is eiective in operation, and which is simple to operate.

A feature of my invention is to provide aV novel oil well cementing tool in which fluid ports are controlled by longitudinal movement of a central tube relative to an outer barrel, this central tube being attached to the drill pipe.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my cementing tool, in the position in which the tool is lowered into the well.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of my cementing tool, in the position in which the cement is deposited in the well.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of my cementing tool, with parts in the position to permit circulation of uid while pressure is being maintained on the deposited cement.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4--4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail of the slip-constraining shoulders I3a-b.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral I indicates the casing which is positioned in the well and which is to be cemented, in the usual and well known manner. It is well known that the cement is deposited at the bottom of the string of casing and pressure is maintained on this cement so as to force it outwardly into the formation, and also upwardly around the outside of the casing, all of this operation being usual and well known.

In my cementing tool 2, I will rst describe the central sliding tubular portion, which consists of a top coupling 3, to which the drill pipe 4 is attached. A pipe 5 extends downwardly from the coupling 3 and screws into this coupling, as shown. A tubular mandrel 6 extends downwardly from the pipe 5 and is threaded into the bottom of the pipe, as shown. The tube 6 extends entirely through the tool and a stud 'I projects downwardly from the closed bottom of the tube. The coupling 3, pipe 5 and tube 6 extend through and have a limited longitudinal movement in the outer barrel of the tool, as will be further described.

Considering now the outer barrel: this consists of a sleeve 8, which forms the upper end o the barrel, and a slip hanger 9, which screws on to the lower end of the sleeve 8, substantially as shown, and a bottom shoe I0 threaded on to the lower end of the slip hanger 9. The barrel is provided with conventional meanssuch as the bow springs 33 for frictionally engaging the interior wall of the well casing I so that the sleeve 8 can be held against relative movement, either rotary or longitudinal, with respect to the pipe 5 and tube A6.

In the upper end of the sleeve 8, I provide a bayonet lock, which consists of spaced and inwardly projecting shoulders II on the sleeve 8, which are engaged by circularly spaced lugs I2 on the coupling 3. When the lugs I2 engage the shoulders Il, tubular parts are held in fixed position relative to the outer barrel of the tool, as far as downward longitudinal movement is concerned. By releasing the bayonet lock, the inner tubular parts can slide longitudinally within the outer barrel, as will be further described.v

For the purpose of holding the tool against longitudinal movement in the casing I, I provide a plurality of wedge shaped slips I3, adapted to frictionally engage the interior surface of a well casing. The slips are mounted in the slip hanger 9, in the usual manner; that the slips are slidably keyed to the hanger as is well known in the art. The inner faces of the slips are inclined downwardly and outwardly from their upper ends. Back of each slip I3, I provide a wedge I4, each wedge resting on a shoulder I5, in the slip hanger 9. The Wedges I4 can move laterally a limited amount and gravity normally holds them on their shoulders I5. The cuter face of each wedge is inclined from its upper end downwardly and outwardly to mate with the inclined faces on the backs of the slips. The inner face of each wedge is tapered in the opposite direction, that is, downwardly and inwardly. y

A slip setting sleeve I6 surrounds the pipe .5

1. An oil well cementing tool comprising, an elongated tubular mandrel adapted to` be connected at its upper end to a string of well pipe, axially spaced upper and lower ports through the wall of said mandrel near the lower end thereof, a tubular barrel surrounding said mandrel and spaced therefrom throughout at least a portion of its length and being slidable on said mandrel, slips mounted in said barrel and projectable laterally therefrom, said slips having their inner faces inclined outwardly and downwardly, wedge members mounted in said barrel and movable radially therein, said wedge members having their outer faces inclined downwardly and outwardly to mate with the inclined faces on the backs of said slips and having their inner faces inclined downwardly and inwardly, a tubular sleeve surrounding said mandrel and slidably supported thereon within said barrel and above said wedge members, the lower end of said sleeve being tapered downwardly and inwardly to mate with the inclined faces on the backs of said wedges, means on said barrel for frictionally engaging a well casing, locking means between said barrel and said mandrel preventing relative axial movement thereof and releasable by relative rotation between said barrel and mandrel, whereby said sleeve can be lowered on said mandrel to engage the wedge faces on said sleeve and on wedge members to force the wedges and slips outwardly of said barrel, cup packing means mounted near the lower end of said mandrel, between said axially spaced ports and adapted to engage the interior wall of a well casing in sealing relation thereto, three axially spaced packing elements in said barrel between said barrel and mandrel adapted provide a slidable but uid tight seal between said barrel and mandrel, said packing elements being so spaced with respect to the ports in said mandrel that upon relative axial movement between said barrel and mandrel the upper of said ports can move from a rst position above the uppermost of said packing elements in open communication with the well above said cup packing while the lower port is in open communication with the well below said cup packing, to a second position wherein both the upper and lower ports are in open communication with the well below said cup packing, and to a third position wherein the upper port is in open communication with the well above said cup packing while the lower port elongated tubular mandrel adapted to be connected to the lower end of a string of well pipe, upper and lower fluid circulating ports through the wall of said mandrel near the lower end thereof, a tubular barrel surrounding said mandrel and slidably and rotatably supported thereon, friction means associated with said barrel and adapted to engage the interior wall of a well casing, latch means for preventing relative axial movement between said barrel and mandrel, said latch means being releasable by rotation of said mandrel with respect t0 said barrel, wedge slips mounted in said barrel and movable laterally thereof by relative axial movement of said mandrel and barrel to engage a well casing to prevent movement of the barrel with respect to the well casing, cup packing means mounted on said barrel and adapted to engage the wall of a well casing, upper and lower fluid circulating ports in barrel, respectively above and belowsaid cup packing, three axially spaced packing element in said barrel adapted to slidably seal between said barrel and mandrel, the uppermost of said packing elementsl being adapted to prevent fluid flow through said cup packing between said barrel and mandrel, the intermediate and lower packing elements being adapted to prevent fluid iiow through said mandrel below said cupfpacking when the lower mandrel port is between said intermediate and lower packing elements.

3. A well packer, including, a tubular mandrel adapted to be connected to a string of well pipe, a tubular barrel surrounding said mandrel and slidably supported thereby, friction means associated with said barrel and adapted to bear against the wall of a well casing, wedge slips carried by said barrel for anchoring said packer to the wall of a well casing, means actuated by axial downward movement of said barrel with respect to said mandrel for expanding said slips, said slips being releasable by upward movement of said mandrel, a cup packing mounted on the lower end of said barrel and facing downwardly, upper and lower iiuid discharge ports in said barrel above and below said cup packing, respectively, the lower end of said mandrel being closed and extending slidably through said barrel and cup packing, upper and lower fluid discharge ports in said mandrel near the lower end thereof and adapted to communicate with the respective discharge ports in said barrel upon axial movement of said mandrel, and axially spaced packing elements in the lower portion of said barrel in slidable sealing engagement between said barrel and mandrel, including, an uppermost packing element between the upper and lower ports in said barrel, an intermediate packing element below the lower port in said barrel, and a lowermost packing element below said intermediate packing element and spaced therefrom a distance sufficient to close the lower port in said mandrel when said port is between said lower packing elements.

4. In a retrievable squeeze tool for cementing oil wells, means for attaching said squeeze tool to a string of well pipe, including a tubular mandrel, closed at its lower end and having upper and lower fluid discharge ports near the lower end thereof, a tubular barrel surrounding said mandrel and slidably and rotatably supported thereon, friction means associated with said barrel and adapted to engage the interior wall of a well casing to cause relative movement between said barrel and mandrel when the mandrel is moved,

' wedge slips mounted in said barrel and adapted for lateral movement with respect thereto to engage the interior wall of a well casing to prevent relative movement between said barrel and well casing, wedge means associated with said barrel and slips, whereby downward and upward movement of said barrel with respect to said mandrel will cause said slips to be expanded or retracted, respectively, cup packing means mounted on said barrel and adapted to engage the wall of a well casing to prevent upward flow past said cup packing, upper and lower fluid discharge ports in sai-d barrel above and below said cup packing, respectively, and three axially spaced packing elements in said barrel whereby relative axial movement of mandrel and barrel permits circulation through and around the tool, downwardly through the tool but not upwardly past said cup packing, or upwardly above said cup packing while holding a pressure below the cup packing.

5. An oil well `tsementing 4tool comprising, an elongated tubular mandrel, closed at :its lower end and adapted to `be connected to the lower end of a. string of well pipe, upper land 'lower fluid circulating ports through the wall of said mandrel near one end thereof, a tubular barrel slidably mounted on said mandrel and having .upper and lower duid circulating ports extending through the Wall thereof, packing means-on sai-d barrel in fluid sealing relation between said barrel and mandrel and between said upper and lower ports therein and also below the lowermost port therein at two axially spaced positions means on said barrel for frictionally engaging the interior wall of a well casing whereby kthe mandrel can be moved relative to the barrel to change the relative positions of the fluid ports in the 8 barrel and mandrel, and packing means normally carried by said barrel `between vthe upper and lower fluid yports in said barrelfor sealing engagement between said barrel and the interior wall of the well casing, `the interior passageway through said tubular mandrel Vbeing thereby communicable with yeither or both of the upper or lower fluid ports in said barrel by relative movement between said barrel and mandrel.

TURNER A. OWEN.

References Cited in the flle `Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,173,351 vBradshaw Sept. 19, 1939 2,275,935 -Baker Mar. 10, 1942 2,352,700 Ferris July 4, 1944 2,379,558 Whatley July 3, 1945 

